


Research on the Criminal Empire of Central Iilinor

by 3057



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types
Genre: Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, Gen, History, Implied/Referenced Drowning, Implied/Referenced Execution, Research, Research Essay, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:21:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27448543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/3057/pseuds/3057
Summary: From the perspective of Researcher and Scholar, Alvarun Belvdil of the Council of Venlar, uncovering the history, stories, and people behind the vast Criminal Empire of Iilinor, and how it came to be.





	Research on the Criminal Empire of Central Iilinor

**Author's Note:**

> This is pretty different from my normal works, if that isn't already obvious :) I am in a creative writing class, and we were given a prompt to write a research essay. Thus, I wrote mine on D&D. This is a very vast and immense world, and this only scratches the surface. If you are curious or wish to know more about Iilinor, you are more than welcome to send me an ask over on tumblr.
> 
> One more thing before we begin, there are quotes scattered throughout the text. Most of them are illegitimate, having been made by me to add flavor to the writing. However, there are two quotes that are legitimate, from the D&D Sourcebooks. I am not in any way affiliated with the Wizards of the Coast. Both of these quotes, as well as the D&D roleplaying game, do not belong to me. The first quote comes from the book "Eberron: Rising from the Last War," and the second, from the D&D Beyond website, linked below. These two quotes are identified in the writing, by using the word 'sourcebook' in its description. Thank you.
> 
> https://www.dndbeyond.com/

I did not intend for this to become my life’s work. No, not at all. How would such a young child, such as myself, even ponder being where I am today. Dealing with matters such as this. Dealing with the people I have. Looking back in history so near, yet so niche. Well, here I am. If you do not know who I am, let me introduce myself. My name is Alvarun Belvdil of the Council of Venlar. I am a High - Elf, my city of origin, Timor. And after all my research, I believe I do have something to share.

Looking back on it, I do believe in every way, shape, or form, that politics itself is inherently immoral. Or at least, a practice of solving moral dilemmas. The more influence an individual has, the more presentation matters to that person. The more wealth, the more you want to grow that pot. I did not realize this as a child. Rinol is… a strange place for minds such as my own. So naive, so endless. It puts things out of perspective. And growing up in such a niche place as that, it felt as if the whole world outside of that little bubble simply did not exist. That the outside world was just as real as our fairytales. But after spending years at the academy, perfecting my magic, I now realize that I was as ignorant as I was youthful. And now that time and experience have had their hand with me and the winds of fate have led me to where I am today, my views are quite different. Thus why an innocent child’s interest in politics led to myself as an adult, with an utter fascination in crime. Crime, and all the dark dealings this world has to offer. Once more, politics leading to immorality. That is the purpose of this paper. Studying the vastness and immensity of this underground, which is much more grand than any of us have ever imagined. This is a Criminal Empire. There is a Head of State. A legion of Diplomats. There are Ambassadors, Cities, Refugees, Assassinations, Trade, Everything. And that history, the people, the stories behind it all, is what this is all about.

Now, I must make myself clear. I, personally, have nothing against these individuals. I, recognizing all my flaws, realize that a modern city cannot exist without a guild of some sort. That the world runs on greed. These individuals are no more at fault than anyone else is. If a society exists in a way that forces people to steal, then the society is just as at fault as the thieves. They have their line of work, and you have your own. So, by no means am I trying to punish or diminish these individuals, their history, nor their dignity. We are one and the same. And unfortunately, our modern world is built on these societies.

The modern day and age is, in itself, the perfect environment for organized crime to flourish. We have the height of politics, and we even have a war raging between two rival, powerful governments. This is how you make money in the underworld. But, we are not starting with either of these two opposing sides. Not with Ira Daedron, and not with Achion. But instead, with a girl from the political capital of the continent, Laran Machio. And from her, this Underground Criminal Empire begins. This individual is a young Tiefling woman, by the name of China Genasra. Violet skin and full, black eyes. She was an orphan, left on the streets in poverty, and through her resilience, began stealing to make a living. But soon, she ran into someone. This individual was named S’Altre Blink. Here is an excerpt from S’Altre’s notes about first meeting China on the streets, “She was fast. Fierce. I had seen nothing like it from a youngster such as herself. She inspired me, in a way. There was no doubting her talent or her strength, but I think that with a little help from myself, she can grow into something this world has never seen before.” 

S’Altre was a High - Elf from Rinol, such as myself. At least, that is how they appear. S’Altre is, in fact, a dragon in humanoid form. A brass dragon, to be specific. “They were beautiful. I don’t really know how else to describe it. They were tall, graceful. Long, silky locks of liquid gold spilled from their head, down their shoulders, ending just above their hips. They wore fitted, golden robes with elegant and fine embroidery, with gems and jewels of gold and fine yellows and reds sewn into the fabric, giving it even more glamour. Rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, all decorated their features so perfectly. They were glistening, as if their skin itself glittered golden. No accessory on them strayed from gold or ruby red.” From Dylan McArthur, a merchant and traveller, about S’Altre.

S’Altre was immediately respectful and kind to China, despite her age and lack of wealth. Since she had no home of her own, S’Altre offered their own home and establishment as a base for her. She agreed. Here is a passage transcribed from an interview I had with Miss Genasra herself, “S’Altre was an… interesting individual. I immediately knew they were not like the rest. They caught me stealing. That is how we first met. Yet they offered me food, shelter, everything. They even encouraged my theft. For that, I felt honored.” S’Altre was a large part of China’s childhood and growth in thievery, even pitching in to get her better gear. Running their own high end Jewelry and Weapons shop, it was not hard to for S’Altre disguise the amount of money earned from China’s thieving. The shop that S’Altre owned was simply called, “Blink.” S’Altre’s last name. 

This continued for the rest of China’s childhood, until she turned eighteen. At this, S’Altre began taking in more thieves off the street. Less caring for them, like they did China, but managing them. S’Altre became the centerpoint and base for many down on their luck thieves across the city. Their reach grew astonishingly quickly. China was there throughout it all, never once leaving S’Altre’s side.

Due to S’Altre’s management and connections around the city for these thieves, there grew to be almost an alliance between everyone in the lower class. The profits that were made with these thieves were divided up and distributed as evenly and fairly as possible. The majority of the money went to those who contributed on the specific heists, then to those most in need around the city. Some in the guild were angry with this and left, only to fall into poverty once more and require S’Altre’s assistance. In the span of a few years, lowly street beggars and the lower class all but disappeared from the city, having gained money and status with the help of S’Altre and their forces. More travellers and politicians came to the ‘newly reformed’ Laran Machio. Business in both legal and illegal practices were the best they had ever been. And these humble beginnings, helping a dying city down on its luck, were the start of the greatest criminal empire to date.

The majority of this information was relayed to me from China herself, who was willing to speak to me about this part of her life.

S’Altre, despite their position and race, is not greedy. At heart, S'Altre is a truly kind and respectable individual. They're not in it all for the power. They wanted to give these people a place to thrive, while simultaneously bringing chaos and joy into the world. They are inherently very wise and understanding, and these traits are partly why they are followed to the extent that they are. They are not corrupt, and are often transparent with their colleagues. While not hungry for power, S'Altre naturally fits right into the leadership position, and loves it there. While they are not individually too talented in the ways of thievery, they respect those who are. S’Altre honors everything they have gained to the thieves of the guild. S’Altre is quite prideful, and will fight for both their individual honor, and the honor of those they care about. They are a very slippery, graceful, inquisitive, demanding, and alluring individual who can often be seen as a flirt. Despite this elegance, they truly are as wise and respectable as people say.

Once the knowledge of S’Altre, China, and the guild they have formed were better known around the Crossroads, an individual known simply as West, the Ancient, approached S’Altre. This was the next major turning point for the Blink Guild in Laran Machio.

West is a Changeling from northern Rinol, across the warm waters of the Crossroads from Laran Machio. Elan is their home turf. They made the journey to Laran Machio, and approached S’Altre in person. They introduced themself as as the leader of a small, specially trained group of thieves operating out of Elan. The group was known for pulling large heists despite their smaller size. And West was their leader. They approached S’Altre, and made a proposition which no Guild has done for decades. Make an alliance.

West laid out their terms and hopes for the future of the Guilds’ alliance. They said that they admired S’Altre’s work in managing their city. West said that if S’Altre would fund, support, and assist in managing their delvings in Elan and northern Rinol, S’Altre and their guild would get a portion of the profits. S’Altre was beyond intrigued, but would not give their allyship so easily. So, as a test to see if West knew what they were doing, S’Altre sent China to Elan with West, to accompany them on one of their heists. It went off without a hitch, and the alliance was born. This also doubled as China’s first experience being a diplomat, of sorts. A role she finds fitting later in life.

Word of this alliance spread quickly through the smaller guilds and circles around the Crossroads and beyond. People were excited, some worried, but most of all, Curious.

Changelings are a race that have no specific origin. To put it simply, changelings are beings that can change their appearance at will. They come from anywhere, and can be born from any race. They are often called the feytouched. Here is a passage from a sourcebook written on the peoples of our world, “In their true form, changelings are pale, with colorless eyes and silver-white hair. It is rare to see a changeling in that form, for a typical changeling changes their shape the way others might change clothes. A casual shape-- one created on the spur of the moment, with no depth nor history, is called a mask. A mask can be used to express a mood or to serve a specific purpose then might never be used again. However, many changelings develop identities that have more depth. They build an identity over time, crafting a persona with a history and beliefs. This focused identity helps a changeling pinpoint a particular skill or emotion.” West, the Ancient, is one of these changelings. West grew up in a city in central Rinol, called Virrosh. When they were very young, they had a human friend by the name of Edith. Edith was unfortunately caught in a tragic accident, and drowned in the river running through the city. West then took on the physical form of their young friend. Not in grief, nor trying to make up for their loss, but simply as a form to take on that actually meant something to them. You see, polite changelings only take on the forms of people who have died.

Thus, West now takes on the form of a young human girl, despite their age truly being in the mid to early twenties. Edith was a short and stout young girl, with pale skin and light violet eyes. She had short, cold brown hair falling in thick waves and cutting off abruptly just before the shoulder. She was 15 when she died. Because of West’s status, and the obvious fact in their attitude that they are indeed not a young girl, they are often perceived as a dwarf or a halfling by strangers. They are open about their changeling identity, however, but do not use their form so fluidly as others.

With the addition of West and their allies, things took off very swiftly for the Machian Guild. West, after working alongside S’Altre and primarily China for a few months, was quick to recommend and point out talented individuals for S’Altre to get in touch with. West introduced China and S’Altre to individuals in the cities of Ssenol, Achion, and Hjerski. S’Altre followed through with these introductions, sparking contacts all over the continents, however S’Altre was specifically fascinated with Ssenol.

Ssenol has a long and convoluted history with crime. With the city originating as a haven for pirates and thieves along the crossroads, the foundations itself are set on spilt blood and fake money. After the city formed a practical government and purged the city of its criminal origins, the blossoming city of Ssenol was finally recognized on the world stage. However, these origins are not the last encounter the city has with crime. Far from it.

As with most cities, a guild in Ssenol gained a foothold. It was nothing huge, nothing like S’Altre’s, but it was something. But that all changed exactly 22 years ago, with the introduction of the Davids. The Davids were a married couple who originated in Ssenol. They were strong, with amazing qualities for the Guild to make use of. They were immediately a large asset and part of the guild, quickly making their way up the ranks. Their names were Marianne and Jonah Davids. 

Marianne was a natural born leader. A cleric to Asmodeus himself, she was ruthless. She lived and breathed politics, playing games with fate itself. She was like a goddess to her people. Jonah Davids was the husband and second in command to his wife. He was elegant and deadly. While she ran the business and political side of things, he worked in the field as an assassin. An excerpt from a memoir on the Davids’ Empire, from author and journalist, Nico Parker, “I remember seeing Marianne for the first time. She was… gorgeous, to put it simply. She had dark skin, freckles dusting her nose and cheeks. Her eyes were like daggers into your heart. She was dressed in all black, light silken skirts falling gracefully to her heels. She was obviously their leader. Her gaze swept the room as if she were a queen. I won’t hesitate in saying that to them, she most likely was. She sat on a throne; there wasn’t really any other word for it. In one hand, she held a jeweled goblet. With the other, she gently pet a head resting in her lap. A lean and thin man draped in red and gold lay at her feet. His head rested comfortably in her grasp. Dripping in jewelry, he was quite frankly the prettiest man I had ever seen. He too, had dark, dark skin. His hair was shorn very short, barely enough for her majesty to wind her fingers into. She was human, but he was something… different. He was humanoid, but there was something off. His eyes glowed a fiery red, and the little hair he had looked as if it were embers burning at the bottom of a fire. In one hand he lazily fiddled with a butterfly knife. I stared at his small movements. He did not even flinch as it nicked his finger. But as I stared entranced at the small wound, it was as if bright, oozing, lava itself was pouring from the cut. A droplet sizzled as it hit the floor.” As described in the text, Marianne was a human, while Jonah, however, was not. Jonah was a being known as a Genasi. Specifically, in the case of Jonah, a Fire Genasi. Here is an excerpt from a sourcebook on the nature of a Genasi, “Those who think of other planes at all consider them remote, distant realms, but planar influence can be felt throughout the world. It sometimes manifests in beings who, through an accident of birth, carry the power of the planes in their blood. The Genasi are one such people, the offspring of genies and mortals.”

Marianne and Jonah quickly became trusted and important members of the Ssenolin Guild. With their help and leadership, it became one of the greatest guilds in the world. They were adored, from people both in and out of it. Marianne had gained power in the city as a politician, and over the next few years, her reach grew further than any had imagined it would. 

Then, Marianne had been titled as Empress of the city, and the golden age of thievery had begun. This period of time lasted for years, the city of Ssenol growing wealthier than it had been throughout all of history. However, wealth was not the only thing to flourish during this time. Culture and wellbeing all across the city did, too. After Marianne took the throne, the Guild was practically running the city. Therefore, Ssenol reached out to other cities and settlements to take from. 

However, this period ended quicker than anyone would’ve hoped. A few city guards grew suspicious, and made their way into their ranks. They exposed the Guild from the inside out, for the whole city to see. The people felt angry and betrayed because of the deceit running through their politics, despite the quality of life being the highest it had been in years. Marianne turned from an adored leader to a loathed villain in the course of a few days. The people began dismantling the guild, tearing apart each success the Davids had ever worked for.

They were executed together in the streets of Ssenol at the age of 35. 

The city, lost and betrayed, was looking for a new leader when a young Ssenolin man named Nero Malsar came to light. Nero was an amputee, having survived an accident in his youth. With his skills, he created and perfected the first modern prosthetic, eventually making them widely available. He had a strong moral compass, and valued kindness and honesty. Nero was 23 when he took the throne in Ssenol after the Davids’ empire perished. The people looked up to Nero because of his honesty. He was a kind and gentle man, someone soothing for the city after the whiplash from the Davids. However, despite this gentleness, his morals were sharp and unchanging.

Nero, along with his underlings, sought out to find every trace of the previous thieves guild, and eradicate it. They mostly succeeded. This was a difficult time for Ssenol. Former guild members were executed and publicly shamed. Others went into hiding. No one knows the exact number, but the estimated number of guild members to survive the collapse of the Davids’ Empire were around 45, from a total of over 200. Some say even less.

This is why S’Altre was intrigued with Ssenol. With the Davids long gone, and the reign of Nero Malsar having perished with him at age 32, Ssenol was a blank slate. 15 years had passed since the fall of the Davids’ reign, and the survivors were stirring. Individuals from the Ssenolin Guild were making small, yet calculated pushes to reinstate a guild presence in the city. S’Altre saw this all very clearly with the help of a contact by the name of Ryan Thiiroko.

Ryan Thiiroko was from the Davids’ Empire, and was the highest ranking guild member to survive. He had previously met China while she was on a diplomatic mission to introduce herself and S’Altre to potential contacts.

Ryan was a major player in helping fellow guild members escape the dealings in Ssenol during Nero’s reign, and get them to safety and into hiding. This led to Ryan becoming a very sought after individual by the government, and having to flee the city. Ryan called upon the Machian Blink Guild, and they assisted Ryan in leaving Ssenol, and getting him set up in a northern city in Mithran, named Fentar. However, despite his relocation, he still has frequent meetings with his Ssenolin colleagues, and is up to date on everything in Ssenol, despite being on an entirely different continent. This is how S’Altre was made aware of the guild resurgence in Ssenol.

Upon hearing about this resurgence, S’Altre decided that they would help. After deliberating with the guild, S’Altre sent China as a diplomat to Ssenol to assist in their attempts. She has been living in Ssenol ever since, but travels often to see S’Altre and Laran Machio. Things are going well for her there, and because she was very young and in Laran Machio during the reign of the Davids, she is not a suspicious individual in Ssenol. Ssenol is oblivious to the delvings of the Machian Guild. 

An individual from West’s Elan Guild, by the name of Aeko Hamasaki, was sent to Ssenol to help Ryan get to Laran Machio. Elan and Ssenol are both on the continent of Rinol, thus Aeko, from Elan, had been the best one to help Ryan. Once in Laran Machio, Ryan met S’Altre, who assigned him to Fentar. Here is a transcription from Ryan Thiiroko about seeing Fentar for the first time, “Fentar was unlike any place I had ever seen before. So dark, so decrepit, and so deliciously corrupt. The buildings were not tall, as if the sky was brought down to press upon our heads. I think I can create something good here.” In Fentar, Ryan found his place swiftly, becoming a well known individual in the community. He did lots of work for S’Altre, as well as local work in Fentar.

Ryan became S’Altre’s primary contact in Fentar, China becoming the contact for Ssenol. Ryan fit in perfectly in Fentar, having become close with their local underworld as well as the Guild. He is the reason the Machian Guild has an alliance with the Carters. He is also on good terms with Elle Werner and Josephine Marks, who are both individuals also working under S’Altre in Fentar.

Not too much is known about Josephine and Elle. Josephine was working for the Carters before working under Ryan and S’Altre, and Elle has been connected to the Guild for years.

Carter is a name whispered in the streets of Fentar. A last name, with a history of violence and money. A mafia, so to speak. The heads of the household business are the two eldest daughters, Emily and Constance. Their younger brother, Easton Carter, is part of a small band of mercenaries called XISE. They are a team of four, highly trained and skilled in thievery. They are skill for hire, taking out jobs from other greedy merchants or the Blink thieves’ guild itself. They pull elaborate heists, and acquire a large amount of money doing so. Easton and his team often take jobs from Ryan.

As the years went by, S’Altre’s reach just kept expanding. In the course of a few years, their guild gained influence around the world. Now allied with many others than just West’s Elan Guild, the empire was growing rapidly. S’Altre now had contacts and allies all across the continents, such as Samuel Atlas, the head of the guild in Venlar, and Marie Thronnadar, a contact and aid to the guilds, on the far western continent of Traeonrath. And these are the inner workings to S’Altre’s Empire.

However, there is one aspect that none have really understood. A piece to the puzzle that has even myself perplexed. There is a city by the name of Achion, the capital of a militaristic empire all across central Mithran. Originating from a band of nomadic warriors across the plains, Achion is their center of culture and politics. This is one of the opposing sides of the war. 

There was a Guild in Achion. A strong one, almost on par with Atlas’ Venlar Guild, ran by a woman only referred to as Spearwood. One day, however, it fell out of existence. None knows what happened to this guild, and many in the underground Empire believe that the Guild was absorbed by the government, but that is just a theory. The only reason the Empire is aware that something went south was a cut of contact -- as Achion was in the Guild Alliance as well -- and a small band of thieves arriving in Laran Machio in escape from the impending fate of the Achion Guild. There were about fifteen individuals from that party, three of whom were killed under mysterious circumstances a few months later.

While this is an issue, no one is actively looking into it, to my knowledge. There have been one or two scouting parties, all of whom have come up empty handed. However, they seem to have made peace with the issue for now.

This is what my life has revolved around since my arrival in Venlar all these years ago. These people, these stories, all of it. I am a scholar, and this is my field of interest. Thus, this research is far from over. There are still many things to be learned on my end, and many mysteries to solve. This paper, while informative, is not even scraping the surface of the intricacies I both know of, and do not. There are the workings of Hjerski, Tion, and I haven’t even begun speaking of Traeonrath. This could have gone on for thousands of words, and I still would have more to write. What I am attempting to say, is that my work is not finished, and likely never will be.

That being said, I wish to extend my gratitude to everyone that has helped me gather this information, no matter how much or how little you did contribute. I also wish to thank, not only those who helped, but everyone in the Guilds, for allowing me to write this paper. This was a marvelous experience, and I do hope I get to write another in due time.

However, I do believe that will be it for now. I hesitate to say this work is eternal, however sometimes I do wish it was. Despite what I said in the beginning, of having no way of predicting my current place, I am ever grateful for it, and the impact it has had on my life. I am enamored with this story. This history and these people. A politician with alliances and delvings into crime. I guess you could call me corrupt.  
However, despite what you may think of me, what you may think of all of the thieves, the assassins, the money and the fraud, thank you. Thank you for letting me shed at least a little more light on the beauty of this Empire.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you very much for reading! I hope you enjoyed, I worked very hard on this piece, so I hope it pays off! Alvarun is a very interesting NPC, and I was so glad to have a place to expand on his character. Either way, I am still very proud of this! As always, kind comments/constructive criticism are always welcome!
> 
> Special Thanks to my Partner for proofreading this piece.


End file.
